Workout hack 6 – great music

February 1, 2010
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The Greeks connected athletics and music in ancient times. Hermes not only played a mean lyre – he watched out for runners. The Olympics were packed with music. And armies were marching to drums well before then. Music has the power to carry you away from your exertion. The rhythm almost moves your legs for [...]

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Workout hack 5 – catch some rest

January 28, 2010
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Sometimes it’s what you do when you’re not working out. Everyone needs sleep to stay healthy – especially if exercise pushes your body into repairing itself. Thomas Edison claimed to sleep only four hours per night and some people experiment with even less. Most people need 7-9 hours – including me. Unfortunately, I’ve been working [...]

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Workout hack 4 – dilute your efforts

January 27, 2010
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The classic advice was to focus, focus, focus. If you’re a cyclist, bike more miles. If you swim, swim more laps. Many experts now think it’s better to switch activities. A terrific running book from Bill Pierce, Scott Murr, and Ray Moss suggests three runs and two cross-training (maybe biking) days per week. There are a few [...]

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Workout gear – Ziploc bag

January 27, 2010
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The Ziploc snack bag must be the cheapest running gear ever. It keeps your iPhone safe from the weather and doesn’t block iPhone-finger contact. Not just for crack dealers and homemakers any more. Get snack bag size – larger bags don’t seem to be more effective Place your iPhone inside with the headcord outlet on [...]

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Workout gear – Yaktrax

January 26, 2010
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Updated below after Yaktrax broke It’s unseasonably warm here in New Jersey, but the app developer reports it is -40 degrees outside in Siberia. Sounds like a Jack London novel. I’ve asked Alex not to test the app outside – I prefer him coding with his fingers than his nose. Running in the cold is [...]

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Workout hack 3 – got a light?

January 24, 2010
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The best hacks use gear you already own to handle other jobs. One way to keep your life simple is pushing your phone to do more than place calls. Unfortunately, most phones induce an aneurysm by the time you simply take a photo. And each extra annoyance makes that workout one notch less likely. The [...]

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Workout hack 2 – pick a friend

January 22, 2010
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One of the most powerful workout hacks is to rely on your friends. I built running into a regular habit when I finally tried this one. Find someone at your level and promise to meet up with them at specific times on scheduled days. The commitment is important – nobody wants to break a promise [...]

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Workout hack 1 – get a good alarm clock

January 22, 2010
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The worst part of exercise is getting out the door. Wake up, check the weather, dig around for clothes, lace up. There’s a lot of friction before you’re just doing it. Workout hacks make it easier to get out there. Here’s a neat one, but it’s subtle. Most people have complicated lives. This translates into varying [...]

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Flow state

January 21, 2010
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I’m not saying I love to exercise. But the blue moon feeling when everything feels right? That’s a different story. It’s that sensation of legs pumping like pistons while you glide the highway on your road bike. You don’t feel the work. There’s an engine you guide along, but the mind is elsewhere. You notice [...]

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